Lake-Lehman will form elementary autism class

Lake-Lehman School District Superintendent James McGovern announced Monday evening that the district has received approval from the state to form an elementary autism class.

According to McGovern, the in-school autism elementary autism class is expected to have six students and is set to start at the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year.

“A lot of research indicates one in 20 students could be diagnosed with autism in the next 10 years,” McGovern said.

A secondary life skills program began in the district two years ago and an elementary life skills class started this school year. McGovern says the district’s goal is to keep more of its special needs students in its own schools as research shows that autism rates may rise to one in 20 students in the future.

The school board authorized the advertisement of an elementary autism teacher with employment to begin at the start of the second half of the current school year.

Personnel

Maureen Devine, of Harveys Lake, was hired as an elementary teacher at Lake-Noxen Elementary School at a salary of $39,179. Dwayne Kalinay, of Plymouth, was hired as a secondary biology teacher at a salary of $42,291.

Others hired include Bertha Ely, of Noxen, as a food service worker at Lehman-Jackson Elementary School at rate of $9.25 per hour; and Leonard Kislavage, of Sweet Valley, as a custodian at the junior/senior high school at a rate of $9.50 per hour.

A six-week unpaid leave of absence in accordance with the Family Medical Leave Act was approved for Courtney Guiliani-Judge, a secondary foreign language teacher, for Sept. 21, 2009 through Nov. 2, 2009; and for Patricia McCulloch, an elementary school health assistant, for Oct. 26, 2009 through Dec. 8, 2009.

A leave of absence was approved for Elizabeth Tenenbaum, a teacher at Lehman-Jackson Elementary School, for Nov. 16, 2009 through March 16, 2010. The leave will consist of 16 sick days followed by an unpaid leave of absence in accordance with the Family Medical Leave Act for 60 days.

The board rescinded its Aug. 17, 2009 motion to hire Samantha Parks, of Mountain Top, as a teacher due to Parks’ reversal of decision to accept the position after she was appointed.

The resignation of Sharon McCue, a part-time custodian at Ross Elementary School, was accepted and approval was granted to advertise for the position.

Supplemental teachers

The board approved the advertisement for two temporary supplemental teachers to be employed for the remainder of the current school year to provide Title I instruction in math and reading. The salaries for the positions will be paid with funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Construction payment

Ross Elementary School construction project disbursements for Oct. 19, 2009 were approved in the amount of $124,650.

Rotary cutter purchase

The board authorized the purchase of a Woods 15-foot rotary cutter at a cost of $9,999 to be added to the lease purchase agreement for lawn equipment authorized Aug. 17, 2009.

Donation

A donation of $6,000 will be given to the Back Mountain Memorial Library Association.

Waiver denied

Board members did not approve the request of Stewart Title Guaranty Company to waive penalty and interest fees from non-payment of 2005 real estate taxes in the amount of $1,744.64 for John and Christine Kukel, of 167 Bloomingdale Rd., Shickshinny.

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